55 Proceed, great Bard! awake th' harmonious string, Be ours all Homer! still Ulysses sing. How long* that Hero, by unskilful hands, Stripp'd of his robes, a beggar trod our lands? Such as he wander'd o'er his native coast, Shrunk by the wand, and all the warrior lost : O'er his smooth skin a bark of wrinkles spread; Old age disgrac'd the honours of his head; Nor longer in his heavy eye-ball shin'd The glance divine, forth-beaming from the mind. But you, like Pallas, ev'ry limb infold With royal robes, and bid him shine in gold; 60 Touch'd by your hand his manly frame improves 65 With grace divine, and like a God he moves. Ev'n I, the meanest of the Muses' train, Tun'd by your hand, and sing as you inspire: 70 Like theirs, our Friendship! and I boast my name This labour past, of heav'nly subjects sing, 75 From thy own life transcribe th' unerring laws: 80 * Odyssey, lib. xvi.. And men more fierce: when Orpheus tunes the lay Ev'n fiends relenting hear their rage away. W BROOME. THE HON. SIMON HARCOURT. THE following lines confer great honour on their young and highly accomplished author. The ideas are noble and poetical, the sentiments manly and grave, and the expression such as to give full effect to the whole. Pope never received a finer compliment than in the lines commencing-" Say, wondrous youth!"— Mr. Harcourt was only son to the Lord Chancellor Harcourt, and died in 1720. His Epitaph by Pope is one of the very few that have escaped with but little injury from the severity of Johnson. TO MR. POPE, ON THE PUBLISHING HIS WORKS. He comes, he comes! bid ev'ry Bard prepare The 5 Crowns his gay brow, and shews him how to reign: 10 But hark, what shouts, what gath'ring crouds rejoice! Unstain'd their praise by any venal voice. 15 Here Rage enchain'd reluctant raves, and there Pale Envy dumb, and sick'ning with despair, Prone to the earth she bends her loathing eye, Weak to support the blaze of majesty. But what are they that turn the sacred page? Three lovely Virgins, and of equal age; Intent they read, and all enamour'd seem, As he that met his likeness in the stream: 20 30 The GRACES these; and see how they contend, 25 Thy soul's delight, and glory of the Fane : LORD LYTTELTON. MR. BOWLES objects to Dr. Warton's preference of Fenton's verses, and thinks" these lines of Lord Lyttelton much superior to all the other recommendatory verses, as elegant and correct in themselves, as the sentiments they convey appear sincere, and worthy an ingenuous, liberal, and cultivated mind. There is a small inaccuracy," he adds, " in one or two expressions, and perhaps it would have been better if Virgil's speech had formed the conclusion." Of the comparative merits of these commendatory poems the reader must be allowed to form his own judgment; but it is somewhat extraordinary that Mr. Bowles should recommend as an amendment, that the poem should close with Virgil's speech, when this is evidently already the case. TO MR. POPE. From Rome, 1730. IMMORTAL Bard! for whom each Muse has wove To thee from Latian realms this verse is writ, 5 10 For now no more these climes their influence boast, 15 COMMENDATORY POEMS. 41 So in the shades, where cheer'd with summer rays Has felt the worst severity of fate: 20 Not that Barbarian hands her fasces broke, 25 And bow'd her haughty neck beneath their yoke; That sacred Wisdom from her bounds is fled, 30 Your ashes visit, and your urns adore; Oft kiss, with lips devout, some mould'ring stone, Than all the pomp of modern Luxury. 40 As late on Virgil's tomb fresh flow'rs I strow'd, While with th' inspiring Muse my bosom glow'd, Crown'd with eternal bays my ravish'd eyes Beheld the Poet's awful form arise: 45 |